Casillas to sign for Arsenal for 5 years?

The Metro is running the story today that Arsenal will sign Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas on a 5-year deal for £100k per week.

Only yesterday, we were hearing that David Ospina would be signing for £3m from Nice. So which is true? Surely not both stories.

Just to give the Metro the benefit of a doubt, I will assume there is some truth in their Casillas story just so we can look at the implications.

Apparently, Casillas wants to leave Real, rather than be 3rd choice at the Bernabeu. However, should he join Arsenal, he'll almost certainly be 2nd choice to start with and possibly 3rd choice (if Wenger does the unthinkable and sign 2 world class keepers. I say unthinkable, as he tends to sign 1-2 per decade! Sorry, AKBers!)

Casillas certainly looks like he needs a new challenge and 33 for a keeper is not that old. I can believe Wenger's a big fan of Iker and will do a deal if the price is right. Imagine how much Szczesny could learn from Casillas!

And if Szczesny did get dropped for a loss of form, he's more likely to accept being second fiddle to Casillas than he would be to Ospina, who's a similar age to the Pole.

So although Casillas's form has been 'iffy' of late, ultimately I'd prefer him to Ospina. Class is permanent (well, to the point where arthritis and ageing sets in) and form (which Ospina has shown of late) is temporary.

I rest my case: sign Casillas please Wenger!

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